St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-29
HER OWN ENEMY.

Strange, and one who had many admirers.
but not such as her heart prayed for. One
by one the poor curates were given their
congo, likewise the struggling authors and
cratic artists. s'Nhen poverty comes in
at the door love flies out of the window, -
was the maxim in which Desree lie Strange
very stanchly believed.
IF | cannot marry rich man | will not
marry at all!' this country wears daughter
told herself with a deep-drawn sigh; this
girl, who was utterly sick OF cold shoulder
OF mutton and plain boiled rice and treacle,
who had to wear her gloves till they were
threadbare and her shoes till they would
mend no more.
1t was pure accident, of course, merest
chance, that Just as she reached the old
stone bridge on the left of the moor
the picturesque, lichen- rohed bridge, be-
meath which the river danced and rippled
as smoothly as limpid woodland
Stream-Daniel Vessels should suddenly
appear.
''Oh, how you startled mel" cried the
girl. whereat the young man laughed and
offered her penny for her thoughts
well. if you must know, l was thinking
of YOU" she returned candidly.
thinking of me?" he echoed, and a
1
face. Something pleasant. | nope, Miss
LIE Strange? Don't you remember the
ancient adage. Talk of the old gentle
man. etc, and suppose talking holds
good for thinking?"
Il thought it was Talk of the angels
! and you'll hear their WINGS" said Desiree,
shyly.
''Oh, so / am white-winged angel, am
]? Well, l could scarcely be ANYTHING
better''
And then, involuntarily it seemed, they
both halted and looked down at the river
with its edge of fallen leaves and whitening
bracken. with its little wavelets all rosy
dimpled and amber-crested beneath the
suns dying smile.
How pretty those flowers arer' remarked
Daniel presently. The ox-eyed daises are
particularly fine"
do you think so? Perhaps Annie might
| take them for her parlor vases" and she
held the little bunch up carelesSly for &C
ceptance.
He took them with quiet ''Thank YOU, -
but he did not say he should give them to
Annie, his landlady's red-haired grand
| daughter. In Daniel Vessels eyes there
was no girl so beautiful as Desiree LIE
Strange; to him she was just perfect, with
her crown of ripping hair. almost the color
OF the FURNISHED autumn leaves, with her
scarlet thread of a mouth and wild-rose
tinted cheeks and eyes deep and blue
when l met you just now" he said
diffidently, you said you were thinking of
me. Desree," in a half-timid whisper,
my darling, l think of you alwaysI' And
now, the ice broken, he told her how there
was no room in his heart for aught but her,
his soft eyes dark with intense feeling.
Eloquently he pleaded, passionately: s'Y GU
/ will not throw away love like mine; no
man will ever love you as l love you,
Desired" And he moved step forward
as though to clasp her to him, but the girl
Shrank back terrified.
''Oh, how could you mistake my mean
lng!" she exclaimed. 81 never thought
can't you understand? / was but turning
over in my mind the probability of your
eventually coming to care for Jane or
Murel."
81 could not marry your step-sister,"
declared Daniel, alphabetically. Then, in a
low, earnest tone. so tender, so gentle, so
pleading, that tine words seemed to find
their way to Desiree's heart: You,
dearest, are my ideal woman; don't you
think you could learn to care for me
little? l am very young barrister, it is
true, but not wholly dependent on my pro-
feSsion for a lodging and crust; besides,
Desiree, darling, l do not mean to be al
| ways a briefeSS barrister. | have gone
through the usual examining, my father is
ambitious for me. and-who knows?-per-
hapS some day may rise to eminence. Oh,
don't blight my FUTURE
He opened his arms as though he would
clasp her to his throbbing heart, and keep
her forever, for all time. But the next
moment he had checked himself, his hands
dropped heavily to his side; for there was
no answering love in Desirees face, only
stony, fixed stare.
How handsome he isl" the girl could
not help but think. The perfect face and
form of splendid manhood was his. Oh,
what thousand pties he had none of this
worlds wealth! Had he been only moder-
ately rich, Desiree lie Strange would have
suffered him to take her small hand in his
broad palm, and they would have been
eventually married, and like the legends of
nursery days, live happily ever after
But DeSiree LIE Strange did not see fit so
to do.
Il could not marry poor man, she
said, softly but firmly. "a barrister's ca
reer is so full OF dIsappointments and strug-
giles; Jane and Muriel have their grand
mothers little fortune, which makes them
in measure independent. l have moth
ing"
Only your beautiful face-your loving,
gentle heart. he whispered tenderly. But
she broke in with:
''Oh. do not say any more. The kindest
! thing you can do is to forget me. L have
never cared for yOu-never! Forgive me
| if L have seemed to encourage you.''
Forgive you'll" he passionately ejacula-
b ted and tho UprI1inn mis- in
went to her heart. Forgive your' he re-
peated in q hoarse, low tone, his face at
white heat, the words coming through lips
like set iron. IF l could promise you
riches would you care for ME then, Desiree
lie Strange? Answer me truly"
If you were rich as q merchant prince
or Indian nabob would not marry you.''
she cried with startling vehemence; but
her voice trembled at the close of the sen
| tence, as though the heart were DENYING
what the lips uttered.
/ With a sad smile he turned from her and
looked into the waters that were no longer
! gold or crimson t1ecked.
| Desiree instinctively moved away. She
! felt she had no strength to prolong the
scene.
! Presently thick raindrops fell with
melancholy. monotOnOus thud on the tangle
of fallen leaves; but Daniel Vessels did not
move.
Long after Desiree's footsteps had died
away in the lane he remained standing
where she had abruptly left him. with his
! arms folded over the old stone bridge,
| thereby unconsciously crushing wealth of
/ beautiful lichenS and fairy frondS
| Down into the angry, frothY waters he
gazed fixedly. paying no heed to the rain
drops. which fell more heavily every
/ moment. s.~
The shortest way from the common to
the yicarage was by following the beaten